the a.r.w. recommends: Halloween, Alaska
Halloween, Alaska is yet another recent indie-type discovery from Minnesota (my first Minnesota discovery was Cloud Cult). This band, formed only five years ago and with a mere two albums under their belt, will be releasing their latest album sometime this year. Their website feels like a grassroots effort, but their sound is far from common. You can hear the Peter Gabriel influence, particularly in “All the Arms Around You” and “Des Moines,” two tracks from their debut, self-titled album. They’ve covered two popular songs, 
Bruce Springsteen’s “State Trooper” and LL Cool J’s “I Can’t Live Without My Radio,” putting an electro-pop feel on songs you’d never expect to be electro-pop. James Diers is the wacky frontman who alludes to Cylons and Storm Troopers while describing the band’s sound in a 2005 interview.
Check out their MySpace page to give them a listen.
2 responses so far
i rememberrrrr getting their old album when i worked for college album and digging!
They have a nice sound, and given that they’re from Minnesota, it adds that much coolness. I’ve spent a few summers out there, and the music scene is actually quite good.